Grand Canyon, AZ

Hello everyone from San Diego, CA.  Yes, after 27 1/2 years I finally made it to California.  I've been here for a little less than 24 hours and, I must say, I can understand why folks fawn over this place.  The weather is truly unbelievable--today was a sunny 80* with not a cloud in the sky and a slight breeze--and essentially none of the humidity to which I have grown accustomed having been raised in southwestern VA.  In addition, the scenery is absolutely amazing; the city is beautiful, from the greenery all the way to the Spanish-inspired structures.  Given that I have a couple more days here, I will cover more in subsequent posts.

Before I begin, I wanted to take a minute to touch on a couple of things.  First, I apologize for being delinquent in posting this week.  It's been a busy week, with intermittent--and unreliable--internet service.  I know some of you are anxious to hear about Grand Canyon and other sights, and I hope not to disappoint.  In addition, a big reason for this exercise is to make sure that I keep a record for my own benefit.  Obviously, it's difficult to draw from experiences if you don't really remember much of them, and given that I'm filling my brain with brand new information and experiences daily, thoughts are being "crowded out."  All that goes to say that I hope to be posting more regularly in the days and weeks to come.

Second, I'm working on posting pictures.  Hopefully they'll be up this weekend.  There are a couple of issues in this regard.  The first is that the program I downloaded (Picasa) at first did not sit well with my laptop...so it's taken me longer than expected to work through some technical issues.  Secondly, my picture-taking style is "take a million photos of everything and hope that one or two come out good enough to print someday," which doesn't lend itself to being easily shared.  So at this point, I have resolved all of the issues, and have narrowed the field down to a "reasonable" number of photos (who really knows what that means...) to which I will grant access soon.  I hope.  No promises.  :)

Now...a quick recap to orient you as to where I've been the last week.  On Sunday, I left Santa Fe and headed in the general direction of Grand Canyon (I was informed at National Park that you are to refer to it as "Grand Canyon" and not "The Grand Canyon" by a tour guide...I will humor him for now...).  I stopped in Flagstaff, then drove around Oak Creek Canyon down towards Sedona, AZ.  I made camp north of Williams, AZ, then headed to Grand Canyon for the day on Monday.  I was there again until mid-day Tuesday, at which point I hopped back in the car and drove to Las Vegas, NV.  I was in Las Vegas Tuesday night through Thursday mid-day, then drove southwest to San Diego, CA.

So, a few quick notes and pictures from my experiences in AZ first.  Vegas to come tomorrow, San Diego hopefully on Sunday.

At the suggestion of a good friend, I decided to take the time on Sunday to visit Oak Creek Canyon, a river gorge between Flagstaff and Sedona, AZ (about 60-70 miles south of Grand Canyon National Park).  The drive was unbelievably gorgeous, and the diverse terrain was once again stunning.  I started the drive curious as to what all the fuss was about--initially all I saw were trees and a few pretty creeks.  Then I crested a hill to find this:

Needless to say, I was hooked from that point forward.  This is in the northern section of the Park, and is made up of large mountains covered in evergreen trees.  The road, which you can see in the photo above winding around the mountain, takes you south towards Sedona.  Over the course of the Park, the geography changes rather dramatically, culminating in some absolutely gorgeous scenery in Sedona, AZ.

I stopped and got some dinner in Sedona at a restaurant that overlooked the beautiful red clay formations.  It was pretty awesome, and definitely prepared me for what was to come the next day at Grand Canyon.

After breaking camp on Monday, I drove northward to Grand Canyon.  Admittedly, this was my number one priority destination for the entire trip.  I had heard so many amazing things, and was bound and determined to get here and make the most of the trip.

A few general observations, then I'll just let the pictures do the talking.  First, the sheer magnitude of Grand Canyon is beyond belief.  It's 277 miles long, and 18 miles across at some points.  I was on the South Rim, which is about 7,000 feet or so above sea level; the North Rim, which I will most definitely visit on subsequent visits--oh yea, I'm definitely going back--is up to 10,000 feet above sea level, leading to a dramatically different climate (or so the tour guide told me).  After my first look, I was truly stunned by just how vast the Canyon is.  There's absolutely no way I could capture everything my eyes saw in a single image, though I most definitely tried.

Second, the diversity of the geologic formations within the Canyon is remarkable.  There are the typical mesas and other, more traditional geological shapes.  Then there are random peaks and valleys which are so foreign as to confuse.  This, combined with the ever-changing colors and rock carvings, makes for a truly unique view.

Thirdly, I was shocked to know that, from most of the South Rim, you cannot actually see much of the Colorado River.  The depths on this side of the Canyon which I assumed had been carved by the powerful river were actually carved by rain and melting snow pouring down the Canyon over millions of years.

Fourth, many of the mountains in the area are actually volcanoes, some still active.  Therefore, there is a lot igneous rock in the Canyon.  This creates an even more diverse field of colors and textures around particular formations.

Fifth, the colors are truly amazing.  I grew up around red clay, but had never seen colors quite like what I witnessed at Grand Canyon.  On both Monday, from the rim, and Tuesday, from within the canyon, I came across a wide and stark variety of whites, pinks, reds, browns, purples and even some hues of blue.  Quite interesting.

Okay...enough blathering.  Here's what you really came for:

Lastly, I wanted to touch on the coolest experience thus far on my trip--sunset at Grand Canyon.  On Monday evening I was able to see the sunset from Desert View, a point about 25 miles to the east of Grand Canyon Village.  It was well worth it.  There's a tower there which was erected in the early 20th Century to give visitors a better view of the Canyon.  It provided a good spot from which to view the sunset, and I was able to get some really cool photos, some of which are below.

Again, the colors were beyond belief, particularly when viewed during various points of the sun setting.  As the sun hit certain parts, it was almost as if portions of the Canyon were aglow.  Truly beautiful stuff.

Alright, there will be many more pictures up on the web soon I promise.  That's all for now.  Will touch base again tomorrow.

DRB

Hey folks.  After another half-day on the road, I'm at a coffee shop in beautiful Flagstaff, AZ.  The drive from Santa Fe, across portions of the Painted Desert, was really unbelievable.  The wide variety of colors and geologic formations were really cool, and the changing terrain continues to fascinate me (as you can probably tell...).

A few words on Santa Fe, and then I want to devote a few paragraphs to broader topics. 

Though relatively small, I found Santa Fe to be a charming city.  You can really feel the convergence of Native American, Spanish and Mexican cultures throughout the city.  The architecture, characterized by long, low buildings (the tallest building I saw was probably 4 or 5 stories high), evoked memories of the old pueblo images I learned about in school.  Colors are on vibrant display throughout the city, and it has an old world feel to it that is unmistakable. 

I walked around a bit Friday evening, taking in live music in the main plaza, then did some typical tourist work on Saturday.  I won't bore you with the historical stuff, but did want to highlight the art community. 

Canyon Road is home to more than 100 art galleries within a mile (at least that's what they claim; it was too hot for me to keep count) containing a diverse array of pieces, from Native American to Russian to Contemporary as well as sculpture pieces.  The entire area just has this terrific, arty vibe to it.  After walking in and out of several galleries--and determining that 99.9% of the pieces were outside my budget--I was quite taken by the work of several artists.  None more so than Dale Terbush, whose work blends colors and textures to create awe-inspiring nature scenes.  You can see some of his work here:  http://terbush.myshopify.com/collections/original-terbush-paintings. 

All in all, Santa Fe was really cool.  

Moving on...

In the course of my travels, I have met a ton of interesting people at various phases in their lives, including retired couples, college students, and like-minded wanderers.  I have also been fortunate enough to find my way into conversation with many of these travelers and locals, too.  Getting to chat with them  has been a true highlight of the trip thus far, and I'm sure it will continue to be as I go.  I'll share more as I go, but here are a few for your reading pleasure.***

First there was Nick in Nashville.  Nick was in his late thirties and had recently relocated to Nashville from Los Angeles.  I met him at a bar on lower Broadway on a Saturday night.  We struck up a conversation around Game 7 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals (Celtics vs. Heat); he was avowed Lebron James hater, and we had an interesting chat.  After 10 years in LA, he decided to move back east (originally from New York, I believe), as the culture of movie stars trying to "make it" had worn on him.  I asked him if he found the same to be true in Nashville, and he said that he most certainly had.  I asked if that bothered him, and he said no, and that it was because most of the folks in Nashville were doing something that he enjoyed, and therefore he benefited.  We ended up bouncing around and meeting other people that night, but I remained struck by his self-interested mentality.  I asked if he liked country music, and he said "well enough, but the vibe of the city is much better."  Regardless, he said, he was out of LA, and liking the south enough to not want to leave.  Nashville, it seems, had a grip on him and wasn't letting go. 

Then there was Susan, the fifty-something mother of two.  She sat to my left at Cowgirl BBQ in Santa Fe, NM and told me her story over chiles rellenos.  After raising her children, she had worked for six years as an Administrative Clerk for the county government in New Jersey.  One day, she decided she wanted to go back and finish the BA that she had let slide some thirty years earlier.  After scoring much better than expected on a placement test, she began taking classes.  However, it wasn't enough, and she wanted a new experience altogether.  Single (I didn't ask how/why, she didn't tell), she moved to south Florida because "she wanted to live by the beach."  She did so for a month.  Then, she was admitted to a Certificate Program to teach English as a Second Language in a foreign country.  It was in Santa Fe, where her sister and youngest son lived, so she decided to do it.  She packed up, took 15 days to drive from south Florida to Santa Fe (hitting several of the same locations I've hit along the way) and got an apartment in Santa Fe.  Then her sister moved.  Then class was pushed back by a month, now to start in July.  And the fact that she didn't have a BA had limited the countries to which she could be assigned.  Regardless, she was determined, if a bit nervous.  "I can do anything, and live anywhere, for a year," she said.  "And if it sucks, or I hate it, I'll just come back."  The class will conclude in early August, and she expects to ship out--to somewhere--by Labor Day.  I expressed my admiration, and told her that wherever she ended up, I'd be pulling for her. 

To my right that same evening was Brad, a self-proclaimed skater.  He, too, had recently relocated, though he had done so in a somewhat more interesting manner.  He had skated.  From Miami.  In December/January.  In his words, he "met a guy who had just skated from the southern-most point in South America all the way to Miami, making my 20-mile longboard rides seem quaint."  (well, maybe he didn't use the word "quaint"...)  "So three weeks later, I was gone, with an 80 lb pack on my back.  I arrived in Santa Fe 7 weeks later, 30 pounds lighter with a mountain man beard." (which he was still sporting).  I asked him if he'd ever go back, and he said probably not.  That he liked Santa Fe enough to hang out for a while longer, and then would reassess.  His trek made me feel like a pansy.  No complaining here; at least I have A/C!

These are just a few of the many, many stories I've heard thus far on the road.  Among the many things which I've enjoyed so much on this trip has been the opportunity to meet and chat with a wide variety of people along the way.  I find their stories interesting, and it's always good to engage with someone in conversation, particularly when rolling into a new place solo. 

For me, the time on the road has been a lot of things...fun, frustrating, exciting, inspiring, tiring and many more.  I am excited for what's ahead, both on the trip and beyond, and the beautiful scenery and interesting historical sites have stoked my spiritual and academic sides. 

But meeting new people, who have had entirely different types of life experiences, has been just as inspiring and motivating.  These experiences spur me to keep moving and learning and doing.  They've also provided a bit of insight into the therapeutic and reflective nature of travel, as well as the enormous courage it requires to chase your dreams--or at least put yourself outside of your comfort zone. 

Suffice it to say, I'm really enjoying my time and random conversations. 

That's all for now.  Driving through Oak Creek Canyon and Sedona in the coming hours, then Grand Canyon all day tomorrow and probably Tuesday morning.

DRB

PS -- I've been listening to the Steve Jobs book on iPhone...fascinating stuff.  But that whole "reality distortion field" thing sounds a whole lot like the very old saying "where there's a will, there's a way."  And Jobs HAD to have been biploar.  My goodness.  

 

***The stories are real, or at least are as they were told to me; the names, however, are changed.  

Hello again everyone. I'm writing at my campsite under a beautiful starry sky just southwest of Santa Fe, NM. I logged another long day of driving today--mostly because I couldn't help but stop every so often to snap some pictures of the gorgeous scenery; more on that below--and am ready to call it a night. Before I did, though I wanted to share some thoughts and reflections from the road thus far.

I'll cover today first.  The amazing landscape I described briefly in my last post only got better as Interstate 25 took me north through New Mexico.  Many had recommended the drive, noting that New Mexico was one of the most picturesque states in the lower 48; I didn't really believe them until today.  Man, was I wrong.  Words really can't do it justice, but the combination of arid plains and towering, multi-colored peaks was awe-inspiring.  The images below give you just a taste of what I saw along the drive...and illustrate why a four hour drive took me six.  :)

One of the stops along the way was a place called Truth or Consequences, NM. I had lunch there--beef, cheese and bean tostadas--but didn't really do much else. Just thought it worth mentioning because of its awesome name.

I grabbed dinner and spent some time walking around the main plaza in Santa Fe tonight.  It seems like a really cool town.  More to come on this in subsequent posts.

Random Ramblings...

--More from Austin...

The music scene in Austin is really, really cool.  Even though I was there on Monday and Wednesday nights, we (my host, Lauren, and I) were able to listen to some really cool bands.  The first was a swing band (not exactly what we were expecting) that was surprisingly good.  It was also really cool to watch the locals get up and dance--they were really good!  Much better than I could ever pretend to be, that's for sure.  

The second was a country/western band at the same bar, just downstairs.  They played some classic covers and what I'm assuming were originals.  My favorite--"I'm not a wine-o, I'm a whiskey-o."  Given my love of whiskey, I thought it was quite fitting.  Many of the same dancing locals from earlier showed up; after inquiring, Lauren found out that the troupe of six or so were all friends, all single (some of their moves suggested otherwise...), and had a routine.  They were really awesome.  Maybe so much so that I'm considering dancing lessons...

Monday was good, but Wednesday night was by far my favorite.  The Smazmatics, whom I mentioned earlier, are an 80s cover band that played three raucous sets before a standing-room only crowd at the Cedar Street in downtown Austin.  A crazy look, but they were all very talented musicians with great stage presence.  It was a ton of fun rocking out to them.  And the people-watching was top notch.

--Memphis, and a commentary on what we value...

Some of you have commented on my post (er, diatribe) detailing my thoughts on Memphis.  I wanted to devote a bit of time to an observation I had along the way.  As I pointed out, the site of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s death was truly moving...and sparsely attended.  While my photo didn't exactly give the most accurate depiction--there were more people there than just me; I just waited patiently for a clear shot--there were not that many people at the Lorraine Motel.  Conversely, I couldn't have gotten a solo shot at Elvis's gravesite if my life depended on it.  The fact that Graceland was packed, and the Lorraine Motel was not, provides some interesting insights into what we as Americans appreciate.  Thanks to Dr. Bell for raising it (on Facebook) and encouraging me to touch on it here.   

--New Orleans...the truth comes out?

So...many of you have reached out asking for more details on my time in the Big Easy.  I won't go into every detail--far too hazy for that--but suffice it to say Dan, Beth and I had a blast.  From Hurricanes to "Huge Ass Beers" (the real name, I swear--see below), we had a bunch of fun.  The people-watching was great.  And when one night ends at 4am and the other ends at 5am in a casino, you know you've had a pretty good weekend.  

Here's some additional evidence...

That's enough for now.  More to come in the following days.  I've got a full day in Santa Fe tomorrow, followed by a LONG drive to the Grand Canyon on Sunday.  

Later...

DRB

Short post tonight...just logged 640 miles across Texas today on the trek from Austin, TX, where I woke up, to El Paso, TX, where I am sitting now.  So I'm pretty tired.  I will give specifics on some of the things I've seen in the past couple of days in a later post, but wanted to quickly touch on the general feel of places before it I misplace it somewhere in my brain.  

Austin, TX

First, thank you to Lauren Hoffer for letting me couch surf at her place, and to Joanne Cosiol for putting us in touch.  Very appreciative.  

I really can't put into words how cool this city is.  It has a different kind of feel than I anticipated for Texas, but the combination of traditional Texas (and UT) style with a healthy hipster culture creates just a really cool vibe.  There are a ton of "hole in the wall" shops, bars and restaurants that drive a significant part of the city's culture, and the entire place just feels like it's buzzing with activity.  

I took some time to visit the campus of the University of Texas (and gawk at the ginormous football stadium), took a run around the "lake" in the middle of the city (lots of outdoorsy activities in and around the city, it seems), dined and walked around a couple of different sections of town (South Congress was really cool), hit the Texas State History Museum, and toured the State Capitol building.  

Lauren and I were able to catch a wide variety of music shows on Monday and Wednesday night, from swing to deep country/western to an awesome 80s cover band (The Spazmatics).  The music scene drives a lot of the city's culture, at least from my limited perspective and what others have told me, and the quality was really good, particularly the Spazmatics, who were fresh off a performance at Drew Barrymore's wedding.   

In short, Austin is definitely a town in which I could see myself spending some more time.  

San Antonio, TX

Admittedly, I didn't spend a ton of time in San Antonio -- really just enough to see the Alamo, walk around the Riverwalk, and watch Game 4 of the NBA Finals.  My cousin just so happened to be in town for work (one of numerous happy coincidences which have happened thus far), so we got a chance to hang out and catch up in person for the first time in nearly a year.  

The Alamo was interesting, but candidly a bit underwhelming.  I had learned a lot of the history earlier in my Texas trip (courtesy of the aforementioned history museum), and it was a lot smaller than I anticipated.  I think I was also a bit taken aback by the fact that it is literally in the middle of downtown--with a 30 or 40 story hotel right next door.  Regardless, there were some interesting artifacts, and it definitely had a certain aura about it.  

Overall, I thought San Antonio was a very pretty city; the Riverwalk had some great scenery, and the downtown area has some beautiful churches and other buildings.  However, it felt a bit too "retail" to me...with shops and malls all over the downtown/Riverwalk area.  Aside from that, it seemed pretty interesting, but I just didn't get a lot of time there.  

Marfa, TX

After seven hours in the car, I spent a bit of time in a small town in West Texas.  Marfa has apparently become a bit of a cultural hotbed, with a handful of interesting restaurants and cafes.  The basis of this cultural renaissance (Vanity Fair's words) is the modern art movement started by Donald Judd in the 1970s.  It's also been the site of several movies, including There Will be Blood with Daniel Day Lewis.

Unfortunately, everything was pretty much closed by the time I got there.  Thankfully, however, I was able to get a great meal at a local restaurant--Maiya's--and chat with some locals.  Didn't spend a ton of time there, as I had to hit the road.

El Paso, TX

Not much on El Paso yet, as I just got here about two hours ago, but did want to touch on the unbelievably cool terrain that surrounds the city.  The mountainous landscape has a craggy surface that I find really beautiful.  I'll put up some pictures later, but really gorgeous stuff.  

Alright -- I'm down for the count.  More to come in the next couple of days...I'll try to be less professorial and hope to share some stories/reflections when I have the discipline to actually sit down and put together coherent thoughts.

Hope all are well...

DRB

Greetings everyone from Austin, TX; where candidly it’s hot as hell.  Despite my trek southwards during the midst of summer, I have thankfully been spared the worst weather-wise.  Nashville, Memphis and even New Orleans were quite nice for this time of year.  It is 95 degrees today in Austin, and walking around the city has left me in need of cold beverages—namely water and Gatorade!

I’ll cover Austin in a future post, as I’m only not quite done here yet.  Today, I wanted to cover a bit of my time in New Orleans.

I arrived on Thursday afternoon after a long drive through Mississippi (see previous post).  Thursday night was pretty low key, aside from running into Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger at Manning’s, a local sports bar owned by the Manning family (of football lore).  They, like me, were there to watch Game 2 of the NBA Finals.  I tried to get a picture, but the large gentlemen surrounding their table informed me that no photos were allowed while they were eating…despite the fact that food was nowhere in sight.  It wasn’t worth the argument, so no photo proof, but man did they look old!

I spent most of Friday walking around the French Quarter with two friends from Richmond.  They just so happened to be in town, and we ended up hanging out most of the weekend.  Not surprisingly, walking around the Quarter reminded me of my time in Paris, with little bistros (spelled bistreaux down here), narrow streets and beautiful courtyards.  We ducked into several antique shops and art galleries, .

We also found our way into several quintessential New Orleans haunts, including Pat O’Brien’s for a classic Hurricane (powerful), Café Du Monde for beignets (delicious), Acme Oyster Bar for po boys (greasy goodness), and The Old Coffeepot for the best seafood gumbo I’ve ever had (unbelievable).

Oh, and then there’s Bourbon Street.   Two eventful nights on one of the most famous streets in America were pretty unbelievable.  I was amazed at just how many people continued to pour into the street as the hours passed, even until very late into the night (or early morning…).  The cast of characters was also pretty outrageous, as to be expected. 

The drinking culture of the city was even more than I anticipated.  Everywhere we turned, hurricanes, hand grenades, and other alcohol-laden concoctions were thrown our way.  The place is undoubtedly a Disneyland for adults, with various strip clubs and "adult" establishments, smoke shops, and lax enforcement of open container laws.  All that said, I was astounded by the number of young children walking around, even late at night.  This is definitely a place where you come without children…

Moving on…the jazz music was pretty awesome, too.  There were few things more enjoyable than grabbing a beer Friday evening and listening to jazz at one of a wide variety of clubs along the street.  The musicians ranged widely in quality, but most were pretty good.  Watching folks enjoy it was equally entertaining. 

As I was walking around the French Quarter, I was struck by a number of things.  First, the blend of cultures is pretty amazing.  The juxtaposition of funky little art galleries next door to massive antique stores next to stores selling t-shirts proclaiming "I got Bourbon-faced on Sh*t Street" makes the mind race one second and ponder thoughtfully the next.  There's literally something for everyone there, and it's all tucked away into beautiful old row homes with amazing courtyards. 

It was also pretty wild to think about the fact that just a few years ago, much of this area was probably underwater, courtesy of Hurricane Katrina.  The thought of antique tables worth three times the national median income floating down Royal Street is crazy.  Despite this fact, there are few remaining signs of the damage, save for some "high water" markings on random doorways and buildings.

The last reflection which I'll share is that, for all of the "culture" I consumed--literally and figuratively--over the course of two and a half days, I didn't step foot in one museum or visit one historical place (assuming you don't call Bourbon Street a historical place).  Yes, these things most certainly exist in New Orleans--in fact, I understand that the World War II museum is pretty awesome.  I just didn't visit any of them. 

I pondered this for a while on my long drive to Texas on Sunday, and for a moment felt a bit sad; like I had somehow "missed" something.  After a while, though, I realized that I didn't actually miss anything (well, except for what I lost at the blackjack table...).  I came to take in the sights, sounds and feel of the city, and accomplished all of that and more.  And I had a blast along the way. 

I've been accused a time or three of taking life a bit too seriously at times.  I'm trying to get away from that a bit on this trip.  This particular weekend was most definitely helpful in that regard.  Focusing my time on literally doing nothing but having fun was a bit different...and very rewarding.  

As a friend who used to live there told me before I arrived, "pretty much all we do in New Orleans is eat and drink."  That was definitely my experience, and I wouldn't have changed a thing.

As the locals say... laissez les bon temps rouler!

DRB 

Just a short post today. I'm sitting in a coffee shop in the French Quarter just off of Bourbon Street--will follow with plenty of reflections on my time here tomorrow or Monday, but today wanted to quickly cover the 8 hour trek from Memphis to New Orleans on Thursday (as you'll see, I took the scenic route...how fitting).

I was on the road out of Memphis early on Thursday, heading south to New Orleans by sunset. On the advice of some friends, my first stop was in Oxford, MS, home of the University of Mississippi (affectionately known as Ole Miss). The town is pretty cool, and has all of the feel and trappings of the southern towns from John Grisham novels. Much of the town revolves around the goings on at the Universit, where freshman orientation was under way. I roamed around the campus for a bit, checking out the beautiful surroundings.

From there, I spent some time in the Square, checking out Square Books, a cool local book shop with a corner devoted to William Faulkner (he was from Oxford, MS). I picked up some books to do some reading on the journey (Faulkner's New Orleans Sketches, among them). It's my first time really getting into his work, and I really like the stream of consciousness style (no surprise there!).

Afterwards, I ducked into Larry's Barber Shop for a quick cut, and grabbed some lunch at Ajax, a local diner. I've never had better catfish in my life, and the squash casserole was amazing. The list of things I'm going to be working off for the next few months continues to grow...

From Oxford, I headed southwest towards the Delta region. It took me a bit out of the way, but driving across the flatlands near the Mississippi River across miles-long stretches of soy beans and cotton plants was pretty crazy. This was farm country, and it was cool to check out the little towns along the way (Clarksdale, Cleveland, Indianola, Yazoo City). But man, there are plenty of stretches where there's a whole lot of nothing but fields and straight road. Pretty drive, though.

That's all for now. I've been joined in New Orleans by two good friends and we've had some fun so far.  Reflections and stories to come.

DRB

PS--two quick sports notes.

First, golf is SO much better when Tiger is good.

Second, it's pretty remarkable--and awesome--to walk through the streets of cities and towns throughout the south and see UEFA Euro 2012 on every television (with most folks paying attention). I think it speaks volumes to how far the sport of soccer has come in the U.S. I know true enthusiasts would argue that there's so much further to go, but I still think it's great that more Americans are taking interest.

Hello again everyone.  I hope that all are enjoying the week.  I'm writing to you from Memphis, where I've spent the last three days based out of the home of Marc and Jan Hanover, the parents of a friend of mine from DC.  It has been an unbelievable stay, and I cannot thank them enough for their hospitality and kindness.  If you're reading--thank you again!

In the past three days I've seen a lot of Memphis and took a quick trip out to Little Rock, AR.  I'll give you a quick glimpse of what I've seen along the way, but would like to do so in a more thematic nature than just listing and describing...mostly because the latter style bores me, so it MUST bore you.

My previous post focused on the musical nature of Nashville and my undying love for country music. Memphis, too, is a hotbed of music activity.  This was obvious from the Welcome Center along the mighty Mississippi River (not the first time I've seen it, but still pretty cool), where giant statues of Memphis's kings -- Elvis and B.B. -- welcomed you to the city.  This fact became even more apparent as I strolled the streets of downtown, from the blues bars on Beale Street to the Rock and Soul Musem and Gibson Guitar factory.  The feel was decidedly different, though, from the "produced" feel of much of Nashville.

What makes Memphis different, I believe, is the historic blending of genres that took place half a century ago to form the foundation of much of modern music and the broader social and political implications of this cultural shift.

As you know, Memphis has historically been a center of racial tension and change in the U.S.  It was here that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was killed in 1968 while helping to organize a group of black sanitation workers who were being discriminated against.  The National Civil Rights Museum, on the site of the Lorraine Motel where Dr. King was shot, provided an unbelievably powerful look into this epochal period in American history.  Detailing the march towards equal rights from the very beginnings of slavery on through the modern era, the exhibits tied together a complex string of events that stretched across the north and south of the United States.  

View of balcony at Lorraine Motel where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
was shot and killed in April 1968.  

Nothing was more moving than actually standing outside the spot where Dr. King was killed.  This man's charisma and deft political skills helped to shape a movement that truly transformed American history, and his influence remains palpable more than 40 years after his death.  Standing just a few feet from where he fell, looking into the encased hotel room that has been left largely as it was at the time of his death, was nothing short of chilling.

Just steps from where MLK was shot and killed.  

While this in and of itself has little to do directly with music, it speaks to the broader social backdrop against which the social change I highlight below was happening.  Many of the exhibits highlighted the tension and frustrations that resulted from hundreds of years of oppression.  The specifics of the clash -- and at least part of the way forward -- were made apparent through a number of other attractions.

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, America underwent a profound cultural transformation (or so I've read...was not actually alive at that time, so knows...conspiracy theory anyone??? just kidding...).  The move from the more obedient and polished side of culture to the more defiant and rambunctious side of culture was in many ways was reflected in the musical tastes of the day-- think Eisenhower 1950s compared to Jerry Lee Lewis banging on a piano and throwing his head back and forth.  The more polished sound of Nashville country soon collided with the more raw and spiritual sound of southern gospel and blues, with the latter largely drawing its roots from the black community.  Nowhere was this more apparent, it seems, than in Memphis.

While country and western music, mostly from Nashville, ruled the airwaves throughout the south, there were other genres that held sway in many areas off the air.  With its roots in the slaves' songs, black gospel, soul and early rock and roll music was popular throughout black communities.  According to historical recordings, the recording community in Memphis was looking for a way to bring this up-and-coming blues/gospel sound to the white--and more mainstream--community.  To do so, they "needed a white boy who could sing black music" (quoted from Rock & Soul Museum--not sure who said it).

That "white boy" was Elvis Presley.  His unique ability to meld the more polished, white country music with the more raucous rock, blues and black gospel music -- and deliver it in a package that was friendly to white audiences (at least he was white) was a major turning point in the movement.

He was soon followed by a whole host of other acts who, in their own ways, successfully blended country, western, blues, and gospel into a new "rockabilly" style that launched otherwise underground cultures into the mainstream.  The movement was spurred on by a group of recording studios, namely Sun Records and Stax Records, and soon included a number of white AND black acts, including Carl Perkins ("Blue Suede Shoes"), B.B. King (numerous), Jerry Lee Lewis ("Great Balls of Fire"), Isaac Hayes ("Soul Man") and so many more.

It was this launch of black culture and black musicians into mainstream America that in many ways helped to galvanize support for the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s and 1970s.  While leaders such as Dr. King, James Meredith (first black student at Ole Miss), Malcolm X and others stoked the political flames necessary to bring about civil rights, musicians and recording artists helped to transform popular culture in a way which would facilitate change.

Various exhibits hammered this point home, and it rang through loud and clear.  The blending of musical cultures was readily apparent across Beale Street, where up-and-coming artists played from an expansive catalog that included hits from white and black artists, as well as later-period music that reflected the evolutionary end result of the blending of the two.

And, as it always does in Memphis, it all comes back to Elvis.  My visit to Graceland -- what visit to Memphis would not be complete with a visit to the King's home? -- highlighted just how big a star he was.  I was admittedly surprised by the long line at 10am on a random Tuesday.  At that point, I was even more shocked by the scores of people holding vigil at the site of his grave on the grounds.

Standing vigil for the King.  

However, when viewed through the light of his profound impact on American music -- and American popular culture and yes, even politics -- it is no surprise that he still elicits this type of response.  After just a few days in this city, working through the aforementioned Memphis history and culture, the magnitude of his impact and stardom was that much more apparent.

So yea...that's a bit crude in a "stream of consciousness" sort of way, but I'd say that pretty much captures what I took away from the experience.  All in all, a really great visit.

A few other side notes...

--the ribs--dry rub--and pork bbq at Corky's in East Memphis--were unbelievable.  I'm NOT looking forward to the many, many workouts it will require for me to burn this lunch off...but totally worth it.

Yea...that's enough calories for a couple of days...

 --you're probably wondering what I did in Little Rock--it's only two hours from Memphis, so I jetted down there earlier today to check out President Clinton's Library and Museum, which was really well done.  I won't delve into details, but I think it did a nice job of tastefully covering his years in the Oval Office, even the Lewinsky and Whitewater stuff.  While I was there, I grabbed a quick bite at the Flyin' Fish (had the catfish and shrimp with a side of spinach)--delicious.

Hitting the road early Thursday AM to head south through Mississippi to New Orleans.  Will likely make some stops along the way (Oxford, Jackson, Vicksburg), but general goal of the day is to make it to New Orleans in one piece.

Signing off for now...more later.  As always, thanks for indulging me...

DRB

Hey folks.  I'm wrapping up a great weekend in Nashville tonight and prepping to head west to Memphis tomorrow bright and early.  A quick recap of the weekend below, but first I just want to thank Marc and Lynzy Presley for opening their home to me this weekend.  They were so much more than hospitable, and I had a blast.  


This weekend was CMT Country Fest in Nashville, which meant two things.  First, the city was PACKED with people, particularly downtown around the stadium where the concert was.  Second, there was A LOT to see and do.  I hit a lot of touristy sites (Andrew Jackson's home; Ryman Auditorium, the former home of the Grand Ole' Opry; the Country Music Hall of Fame; and the Parthenon--let's just say an interesting site...history here...), but spent a bunch of time down around the music festival.  While I chose not to pay three times face value for tickets into the stadium, I was able to see a few "up and coming" bands on the Riverfront (aka, free) stages, and ran into lots of interesting concert goers.  


I won't cover specifics of this particular stop on the trip (mostly due to exhaustion), but I did want to share a few reflections.  


I have always been a big country music fan.  Starting very early in life with Sawyer Brown, Randy Travis and King George (aka, George Straight), I have sung along--albeit poorly--to so many talents within this genre and have a deep appreciation for the music and culture it represents.  Growing up in the south, I identified with many of the themes, and was exposed to so many of the cultural phenomenon to which the artists often referred that it was almost impossible for it not to resonate at some level.  It also didn't hurt that most of the radio stations in southwest VA were country-oriented, so I didn't really have much of a choices...


Even though I've been a fan for my entire life, I was unfamiliar with much of the music's history.  Nashville, as those who have visited know, is oozing with the stuff of legend in country music.  The Ryman Auditorium, home the Opry for thirty years or so, provided a good re-introduction to the stars and stories which birthed the genre.  This was strengthened by the two hours or so I spent in the Country Music Hall of Fame.  It was really interesting, and in some ways inspiring, to hear and read the stories of so many of the self-made artists who overcame personal difficulties or time outside the spotlight to craft their image and sound.  Walking up and down the streets of Nashville, with music and dreams flowing from the voices and fingertips of musicians hoping to "hit it big," this overarching feel is alive and well today.  


In many ways, this is not just a country music story; it's a human story.  The genre and the city are built around folks who pulled themselves up by their bootstraps.  It took ingenuity, like that of Johhny Cash or Loretta Lynn or Merle Haggard or Buck Owens; it took unbelievable skill and talent, like that of Brad Paisley, George Jones, Pattie Smith and so many others.  But it also required hard work and dedication to a cause that they loved.  And so often, they are singing biographical tunes about the simple and real things that happen to real people everyday.  


This is why country music is so appealing.  Sure, there are plenty of pithy, simple, and superficial songs.  But at its base, the music and the people are about hard work, innovation and perseverance.  And it's about real life.  The really good songs and artists tackle life's most difficult and rewarding moments through song.  This resonates with me, and is a big reason as to why I'm continually drawn to artists new and old that got their start in Nashville.  


This is not to say that other artists in other genres don't work hard or create innovative new sounds.  They most certainly do.  In my opinion, few other genres are able to do so in such a genuine and accessible manner. 


Sorry to delve into the philosophical for a moment...thanks for indulging me...


On to Memphis tomorrow...working through a simple photo sharing arrangement, and hope to have a bunch of pictures to put up in the next few days...stay posted.


Have a great night.

DRB

Greetings from Nashville, TN! I'm two stops into the trip now, and all continues to go very well. A quick recap of what I've done and seen thus far:

Rocky Mount, VA to Asheville, NC --I departed my hometown at 6am sharp yesterday morning and headed for the Blue Ridge Parkway. After winding through the backroads of Franklin County (good ole Callaway Road), I spent the next four/five hours whipping around turns heading south. The views from the overlooks were majestic. Words won't do them justice, so I won't try.  Hopefully this helps a bit.

Good morning, Virginia!

--The parkway itself is pretty unbelievable. I'm not sure, but I think I saw more deer and turkey than cars. That kind of pristine nature juxtaposed with sprawling interstates was really interesting, particularly after spending the bulk of the last five years in downtown office buildings.

--I will TRY to avoid politics, but just a quick note on the "Recovery Dollars at Work" signs plastered throughout portions of the Parkway...I don't really think that filling in a few potholes on a lightly-used (comparatively so, anyways) stretch of road yielded the anticipated multiplier effect for the broader economy...or at least not the jobs I saw. It remains in pretty good shape, and I'm sure it's costly to maintain. But I may have used those particular tax dollars a bit differently...

Asheville, NC
--I arrived in Asheville around noon yesterday where one of my best friends, Richard, joined up. After a quick lunch, we headed to the Biltmore Estate, the home of George Washington Vanderbilt, grandson of Cornelius.


--The house is remarkable. It is almost as if they dropped a European castle into the rural mountains of North Carolina. The indoor space alone is four acres...and exquisitely decorated. Unfortunately, we were only permitted to take pictures outside of the house, which has been open to the public since 1930, so I won't be able to show you everything. It was amazing to see the complex organization that supported the home, both during the Vanderbilt's residence and at present day. It's inspiring, for sure, especially given that most of the existing structure remains from the original, which was built from scratch in only about six years. 
 

Richie Rich???

--After Biltmore, we visited a couple of breweries in downtown Asheville. Apparently there are more breweries per capita in Asheville than any other place in the U.S., and most of them are pretty good. We'd visited three before this trip, so we hit two new ones--Craggie and Lexington Ave Brewery (LAB). Craggie is a small operation with a small tasting room. The beer was great, though. I had a summer ale, and Richie had the Yo La Mango IPA. Both were delicious. We headed to LAB next, which appears to be more established (they had a full menu), where I had a Black IPA--very interesting. Not usually an IPA fan, but I liked this one. Richie had a wheat beer, which was also good.

Richie at Craggie Brewing Company

--From there we made camp--I guess I haven't mentioned before, but I'm trying to stay on a pretty tight budget for the trip (back to a student's budget will not be easy!), and as such plan to call various campgrounds, couches and floors my "bed" for the next couple of months. Our campground had a stunning view of the valley around Asheville, and the sunset was pretty awesome. Wet wood complicated the fire efforts, but we were eventually able to get something going and had a good time catching up before calling it a night. 

Overlook from campsite

--After bidding Richie farewell, I headed west out of Asheville, NC towards Nashville, TN. 

Nashville, TN

--After a decent drive down I-40, I just arrived in Nashville just a few hours ago. My first--and at this point only real stop--was to the home of President Andrew Jackson. I spent about an hour and a half here, ironically enough on the 167th anniversary of the President's death (June 8, 1845). The home, which for those who haven't seen it, is in the Greek Revival style (Greek columns, etc.), was pretty impressive. Not quite Biltmore, but nothing really is, I guess.

--While Jackson most definitely remains a controversial figure (Trail of Tears, pro-slavery, strong Executive branch) they emphasized that his focus on the expansion of democracy--by appealing to and working for the common man--cemented his legacy as one of the greatest statesmen in American history. He was a pretty unbelievable figure, given his challenging background (father died before his birth; mother and siblings died when he was only in his early teens). What I find interesting is that the very groups he oppressed (women, slaves, Native Americans) used many Jacksonian tactics to gain their own freedoms. Also, the "man who is greater than the circumstances from which he came" theme definitely resonates. All in all, totally worth the visit, as it appealed to the history-buff side of me.

From here... I plan to meet up with another buddy with whom I'll be staying. I'm listing out the things on the "to see" list for Nashville, and suggestions are always welcome! One quick aside before I get back to figuring out the pictures side of this...my original inspiration for this trip was partly in hopes of writing a book, either about my experiences or some other "on the road" type topic. It required little more than a cursory glance for me to realize that this had been done before. A lot. So at this point, the book idea remains in my head, but is pretty much on the shelf until I can figure out what to do with it. I will certainly be writing along the way, both here and more privately, but let's just say I'm exploring a variety of options in this regard.

I say this because from time to time I hope to use this forum to share some thoughts, reflections, or stories (most of which will be true...or at least based on the truth...). Just a warning shot to those who are reading out there...

More to come on all fronts tomorrow...

DRB

So this is it...I've spent a LOT of time yapping about this trip and how I plan to see the country and start a blog and blah blah blah...but it's finally here.  I'm honestly not entirely sure how to start this...but here goes nothing.

A bit of background to start...I am 27 years old...was born and raised in southwestern Virginia...attended Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, VA...worked in investment banking for two years in Richmond...and spent the last three years working for an alternative asset management firm in Washington, DC.  In August, I will start a three-year joint MBA-MPP at Harvard University in Cambridge, MA.

Despite having traveled to China, I have somehow lived my life never having visited the West Coast (shocking, I know--at least according to my friends who hail from California).  However, I was lucky enough to have an early leave date from my most recent place of employment, and seized the opportunity to hit the road and do something really interesting (well, hopefully several interesting things).  After all, when will I ever have the opportunity to spend two months driving cross country, with no real responsibilities (never entirely true, though I'd like to believe it!)?  I don't know, but those who do tell me it won't happen, and I'm taking their word for it.

So...I plan to take two months on the road, seeing sites and discovering America...and hopefully myself.

My first stop is Asheville, NC, where I plan to meet up with one of my best friends and see the Biltmore Estate and some other local attractions.

Beyond that, I plan to see a lot of places, from Jackson, MS to Vegas to Cheboygan, MI.  My very rough itinerary is here, for reference.  I'll try to keep it updated as I go.

One last thing...I am still figuring out this blogging thing, so I ask the one or two bored souls who are reading this to bear with me...it's definitely going to be corny, clumsy, and occasionally stupid.  I will try hard not to wax poetically or nerd out too intensely.  I just ask that you humor me for a reading or two.  Also, if there are particular things you'd like to hear about along the way, let me know!

Hopefully I'll get the hang of it soon, and have some cool things to share with y'all.

Signing off for now...
DRB